I started work at the Vatican Museum today. Let me just say that I apologize to all future visitors of the museum, because there are bits of my mind blown all over the place. I spent the entire day with my mouth hanging open like an idiot, as each room presents a masterpiece more precious than the next. Our office is really cool and the team is really friendly. I spent an hour working on some introductory computer work, and then one of the Patrons (I work for the Patrons of the Arts) called the interns to go meet members of the Belgian chapter of the Patrons of the Arts. We proceeded to show them around (including a member of the Belgian royal family) to places unavailable to normal tourists. One such place was lunch above the Vatican museum, which is pictured below:
Please note the Pantheon in the last photo. We then received a private tour of the Vatican archives, including an original letter from one Henry the 8th requesting an official annulment from the Pope so that he may marry another wife. The Pope refused, and Henry in a rage went on to found his own church and disengage England from the power of the Pope. To summarize:
The bad- was pickpocketed in the Vatican museum (I caught the guy before he grabbed anything, I just felt a tug on my bag, spun my bag around and found it hanging open) and it's hot and getting hoter.
The good- I'm killing it. Next goal is to meet his Holiness, but the way the chips are falling, I like my odds. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Not bad for the first day in the Eternal City! What a drastic change from the pastoral setting of the past three weeks! Keep your wits and belongings about you: it's a BIG city with many predators trying to take advantage of the tourist venues and you're a target. Play defense!
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